From the Desk of Clearissa Coward’s Command Center
Spring Cleaning Your Garage- Can You Do It?
When I was growing up, the garage was the “junk space”. This is where old clothes, junk in boxes, old trophies, books, etc. were stored. I mean, have you ever driven past a home with a beautiful 2 or more car garage and yet they park in the driveway or on the street? I have lots of times and I always wonder…”what’s in there”?
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Perhaps this is envy (I could be a hater) on my part because I do not have a garage so I tell myself, “if I were blessed to have a garage, it would be so clean, organized and even pretty.” Ha…I doubt that, but I like to think that I would at least leave space to park the cars in the garage. Perhaps!
If you are blessed enough to have a garage of any size, now is the time to get your garage in order. 🙂 Everyone focuses on the inside of the home when they spring clean. A closet, a cabinet, etc. But if you have a garage that you cannot use as it was intended, guess where you should be organizing. 🙂
I am here today, the person that does not have a garage, to advise you as to how to clean and organize yours. Why? Because my envy (hate) gives me the right to do so. Let me help you get your garage in check and watch me turn even more green with envy when you do. 🙂
Deep-cleaning and decluttering your garage should be an annual event. Here are a few ideas for you as you tackle your garage in order to make it clean and more organized.
- Get Rid of Unnecessary Clutter
The first thing to do when spring cleaning any space, and that includes your garage, is to go through all the items you have and decide what is no longer useful. Are you saving miles of extension cords or extra spare car parts? Are the things in your garage truly useful to you personally? Be honest with yourself, and keep only what you truly need.
Do not be like my dad who truly believed that every car part, every tool, every nut, bolt or doodad should be kept. Why? Just in case or for the one day you may need it. I kid you not! 🙂
2. Dusting
The boxes and items in your garage will tend to build up dust, rapidly. Because of dirt blowing in from outside, and a large door leading directly to the outside elements, you will need to be vigilant about dusting. Remember, there will not be as much to dust if you purge the items that are no longer useful.
Spring cleaning is a great time to run a microfiber cloth over everything that is exposed. You may need several cloths, as they will fill up with dust rather quickly. I also like to have soapy water with a degreaser on hand as well. Or a degreaser spray. I do not like the idea of just wiping things down. Nope, I believe that if it is worth keeping, it is work cleaning. But my dad did not agree. And he banned me from cleaning his garage because he said I would manufacture rust on all of his tools and other junk. Yes, I said it…junk.
3. Clean the Floor
Now it is time to do a major floor washing. First, you will want to take a large broom and clear the main dirt away. Next, take a bucket and mop with some soap and vinegar, and wash the floor as thoroughly as possible. As an extra step and if I had a garage, I would remove everything and paint the floor and add those pretty sprinkles I’ve seen on Pinterest. How cute to drive your car onto a clean and color-coordinated floor with colorful sprinkles. I get giddy just thinking about it. Too far? 🙂
4. Wash Equipment
Some of the items in your garage will need to be cleaned, and it will not be as easy as wiping dust away. Perhaps your extension cords, bicycles, and rain boots have mud or other grime caked on them. Take the dirty items outside and give them a good rinse, using soap when appropriate and necessary.
5. Make Room for Your Vehicle
Now that everything is clean, it is time to get organized (my favorite part). One of the main benefits of having a garage is being able to park your vehicle indoors (can we say it again?). Unfortunately for many families, there is not even enough room to fit their car in, thanks to all the accumulated junk.
Assuming you have sorted through all your items, you can now decide whether to keep or get rid of them. After you do this step, put what remains back in an orderly manner. Arrange what you have left so that you can once again fit your vehicle back in the garage, giving it back its main purpose. Storage does not have to be expensive and can range from Dollar Tree hacks to the professional installation of specialty garage storage items.
6. Install Storage Solutions
If you have tried your best and yet cannot fit everything in the garage in an orderly way, you may want to take the organization a step further. Browse around for various storage systems, and choose something that works for your garage space and your budget. You know me, I am always looking for a way to get the best and biggest bang for your buck. There are systems that include everything from stackable storage boxes to weather-proof storage, to overhead storage. There is an organizational system for every budget and organizational style. Do not get discouraged.
7. Safety First
No matter what put safety first. Use every precaution when taking on a job such as spring cleaning your garage. Be sure to secure overhead storage properly so it does not fall down later. Unplug electrical items before cleaning. Be cautious about sharp objects when digging in boxes. A little foresight can save you a lot of time and pain later on.
Spring cleaning your garage can take a lot of effort and time but is worth every moment that you put into it. When you are done, you will have a garage that is efficient and useful once again.
And just imagine how pretty it with color coordinated storage systems, wall paint, floor paint with sprinkles and tool storage. Oh my, I get chills just thinking of the beauty and organization. 🙂 However, if you want to begin with just the basic of organization and purging enough to use your garage for your car…just file my decoration ideas for a later date. 
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A good reminder for me to get in the garage and get rid of stuff! Thank you!
Hi Carol,
Yes and where I am, the weather is perfect for that type of work. Soon it will be simply too hot and humid to do anything except sit by the pool or on the deck with the fan going sipping something cool. 🙂 Good luck with your garage.
Ugh, I avoid the garage. It’s an absolute mess. A good storage system would work wonders.
Thanks for sharing,
Renee
Hi Renee. Don’t avoid. 🙂 Jump right in there and get er done. 🙂 Oh, you may want to find the right storage system for your organizational style and then have at it. If I can encourage or help, please do not hesitate to reach out. 🙂
Nothing like moving north to south and south to north twice a year to make you deal with this. We don’t have “real” garages; one in NH is canvas and the one in FL is really a storage shed. But we also have a big cellar in NH that can get yucky in a hurry! Dislike this task, but we feel much better and more organized when we do it. It’s also important to maintain tools and equipment at the same time.
Visiting from Blogging Grandmother’s party.
Oh my! Two places with storage spaces to maintain. I’m sure that can be a job but once you get it organized, the key is maintenance. Glad you stopping Nancy.
Cleaning the garage in on my spring cleaning list. Thank you for the great tips Clearissa!
Hi Lori, thanks for stopping in. Happy to provide a tip or two. Good luck with your project and have a wonderful weekend.
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